When Mardi Gras rolls around in New Orleans, king cake reigns supreme. Local bakeries crank out thousands of the ring-shaped cakes, topping each with purple, green and gold sugar and baking a plastic baby inside (getting the slice with the baby is considered good luck!). But when the holiday hits this February 12, fans will be drinking their cake too: Big Easy bartenders are using new king cake-flavored vodka, introduced last year, to create king cake cocktails, including this fun one from Carousel Bar & Lounge at the historic Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans’ French Quarter (214 Royal St.; hotelmonteleone.com). Just like a traditional king cake, the drink is cinnamon-spiced and decorated with colored sugar. We snagged the recipe so you can try it at home.

It happens at least once a year — your favorite jarred tomato sauce goes on sale and you stock up — enough to feed an army sometimes. While nothing beats homemade sauce, sometimes the jarred varieties are a reliable substitute for quick weeknight dinners.

It’s certainly a must-have in the pantry, along with pasta and one of Melissa d’Arabian’s favorites — dried beans. But sometimes you can fall into a rut, using it the same ol’ way. Not anymore. Food Network Magazine has taken a household staple and provided 50 different ways to incorporate it into recipes like Spanish rice, minestrone soup and Italian meatloaf.

Looking for a way to liven up baked potatoes? Try Pizza Potatoes (No. 21). Make a deep slit in baked potatoes, then stuff with some pasta sauce, chopped pepperoni and shredded mozzarella, and bake at 400 degrees F until the cheese melts.

Sneak a little more fiber into your favorite soups: Use whole grains instead of white rice or noodles. We chose quinoa for the Chicken and Quinoa Soup in the January/February issue of Food Network Magazine because it cooks in just 15 minutes and adds a nice nutty flavor to the dish. You can also try quick-cooking barley, short-grain brown rice or whole-grain pasta in other brothy soups.

I have a deep and unconditional love for chicken wings. To me, wings are the perfect bar-snack and party food. I love them every way: spicy, sweet or savory. The only no-no for me is flabby skin!

Whether you decide to fry them, bake them or grill them — the three cooking methods we show you in Food Network Magazine’s booklet of 50 wings (page 168, January/February 2013 issue) — you’ll produce a perfectly crispy wing. And the options are truly limitless. Check out my sesame version below, then serve these for the big game with an Asian chili sauce like Sriracha:

Americans buy a shocking amount of avocados in January. About 145 million pounds flew off the shelves this time last year, a 15 percent increase over 2011, and we’re guessing almost all of them got mashed and turned into guacamole. While there’s no shame in that, we figured you might want to try something new: Halve an avocado and remove the pit and peel, then press into the rounded side seeds, spices or finely chopped bacon. Slice and serve on crostini or salad.

Image from left to right: Poppy seeds and salt, bacon and smoked paprika, Old Bay Seasoning and salt

Smoked fish is an easy way to add flavor, protein and healthy fats to a dish, and you only a little. We used just 1 ounce of fish per serving for the Curried Rice With Smoked Trout from the January/February issue of Food Network Magazine. Keep some smoked salmon or trout on hand (it stays fresh for about a week in the fridge) and try it on a sandwich or salad, or toss it with pasta.

Warm up with three regional chilis and see why each has a cult following. The experts share their recipes with Food Network Magazine.

In Texas, chili is practically a religion, with one important tenet: Keep it simple. That means no beans and, often, no tomatoes — just beef and spices. “Texas red,” as the locals call it, gets its distinctive dark red color from a big shot of chili powder (a mix of spices that usually includes paprika, cumin and cayenne). Texans cook it low and slow, just like their barbecue, until the chili gets thick and the meat is super tender. Texas Chili Parlor in Austin serves one of the most well-known versions: The Austin American-Statesman called it “legendary,” and owner Scott Zublin says his customers put away up to 250 gallons every week. You can order it mild, hot or extra-hot; the recipe Zublin gave us makes a moderately spicy chili. To turn the heat up or down, just adjust the amount of chili powder. 1409 Lavaca St.; txchiliparlor.com

The chefs in Food Network Kitchens had so many favorite muffins in Food Network Magazine’s 50 Muffins (page 100, December issue) that we couldn’t print them all. Pick up the issue to see the ones that made the cut — then try this extra Mini Rumball Muffin recipe for a new twist on an old cookie classic.